Fr Tamani adds voice to concerns on road construction contracts

Blantyre Archdiocese Vicar General, Boniface Tamani, has added his voice to the concerns on poorly constructed roads in the country, saying it is high time road contracts were awarded to companies with good track records to avoid wasting tax payer’s money.

Tamani : Concerns with poor road construction

“We need to award contracts to companies that actually know their work and which can do good jobs. If we go for shortcuts just to enrich ourselves, then we are in for trouble,” said Tamani.

He was speaking when President Peter Mutharika gas an audience with religious leaders from the Southern Region at Sanjika Palace after uttering similar sentiments a day earlier when he officially opened the International Trade Fair on Wednesday.

Commenting on the same issue, Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi (QMAM)) National Publicity Secretary, Sheikh Jaafar Kawinga, advised the citizenry to be watchful of development projects around them and report all people that are politicizing the projects and conducting substandard work.

“No one should be allowed to politicize development activities. If found, I am urging them to report to relevant authorities including us the religious leaders as we have access to high authority who can assist,” said Kawinga.

President Mutharika has warned against corruption, saying government will investigate all irregularities in the construction of roads following complains andwhining that some road which he officially opened recently have become an eyesore as the tarmac has developed potholes, drifts and cracks with motorists now shunning the road.

There have been reports of tarmac on newly-upgraded roads peeling off in the country’s cities.

Mutharika said he has ordered the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa to investigate the matter and bring to book all wrong doers.

“It has come to my knowledge that some contracts were awarded to councilors or close relatives to councilors resulting into substandard work. This is total betrayal and I have instructed the minister to investigate the issue,” said the President.

He accused ward councillors who corruptly award contracts to some local companies that come up with substandard output, especially in road construction projects.

In his remarks on the matter,

The Ministry of Local Government last year launched the city road construction works project aimed at applying bitumen on all city roads across the country.

Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito has since called on the Roads Authority (RA) to properly scrutinise contractors before awarding them projects to ensure they do quality work.

He placed much emphasis on some roads which were constructed or rehabilitated last year, including the Makata Road, Illovo-Midima roundabout, Chimwankhunda and Nyambadwe which have started developing potholes or have completely been worn out, in turn giving problems to motorists.

Roads Fund Administration spokesperson Masauko Ngwaluko recently said as is the case with every road project in city road construction and reconstruction works, his organisation retains five per cent of respective contract sums so that they can be used to rectify defects on the roads.

The way I understand contracts on road construction is that engineers certify the works first before any payments are made. Who certifies these road works? Who pays these bogus certificates? Don’t blame the tender evaluation teams.

No. In any collusive bidding scheme, tender evaluation teams are at a certain stage involved. With corruption swirling around in the construction industry, they are part and parcel of syndicate. Collect and review bid securities submitted by the winning and losing bidders (or, if the actual securities are unavailable, examine the bid security information in the Bid Evaluation Report); note such securities issued by the same bank on the same day to different bidders. Also note such securities that appear to be forged. In any case, do a thorough search and you will be shocked with the results. However, in… Read more »

I have observed how Kayisa Road construction is done. I think that is way Tarmac roads have to constructed. But just scraping existing earth and apply tar as it is being done on Rumphi Nyika Road seems to be cosmatic. RA please visit the road and educate me.